Abstract
Surgery on the extremity affected with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is generally
avoided because of the risk that the symptoms will recur or worsen. Perioperative
sympathectomy or stellate ganglion block has previously been recommended for CRPS
patients requiring surgery of the affected upper extremity. We evaluated 100 patients
with a history of upper extremity CRPS undergoing surgery on the affected extremity.
All signs and symptoms of CRPS had resolved before surgery. After completion of the
surgical procedure half of the patients (n = 50) underwent a stellate ganglion block;
the other half received no intervention. The recurrence rate of CRPS was significantly
lower in those patients receiving a postoperative stellate ganglion block (n = 5;
10%) compared with those receiving no intervention (n = 36; 72%). We conclude that
performing a perioperative stellate ganglion block in patients with a history of CRPS
can significantly reduce the recurrence rate of this disease process. (J Hand Surg
2000:25A:1147-1151. Copyright © 2000 by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.)
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
June 6,
2000
Received:
February 21,
2000
Footnotes
*No benefits in any form have been received or will be received from a commercial party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article.
**Reprint requests: Scott S. Reuben, MD, Department of Anesthesiology, Baystate Medical Center, 759 Chestnut St, Springfield, MA 01199.
Identification
Copyright
© 2000 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
